Developmental Briefings

JANUARY 2015

Improving Research

Research Leadership and Academic Mentorship Workshop

As part of its efforts to develop research skills and build research leadership capacity among its faculty, the College of Basic and Applied Science organized a workshop on developing research leadership skills at the Mac Dic Royal Plaza Hotel at Koforidua from October 23 to 25, 2014 with a total of 54 participants from the constituent Units of the College taking part in the programme

Initiatives

Meeting with Chinese Embassy

The Provost met the Chinese Ambassador to seek the assistance of the Chinese Embassy to help upgrade the scientific laboratories at the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and to improve the study of science at the College.

The Chinese Ambassador indicated that the Ghana government had requested for assistance of US$ 100 million through the China Exim Bank for upgrading of laboratories in Ghanaian universities. She requested the College to discuss this issue with the Ministry of Education

Meeting with the Minister of Education

Representatives of the College met with the Minister of Education on how to access part of the US$ 100 million Chinese grant. Cbas was then was advised to collaborate with sister universities and pre-tertiary institutions in the project to access grant

Meeting with Turkish Embassy

The Provost met with the Deputy Turkish Ambassador to Ghana to request for educational cooperation with Turkish Universities in the area of faculty exchanges, collaborative research, upgrade of infrastructure and partners for development. This includes the sourcing of funds for the College’s Scientific Laboratories Improvement Projects (SLIMP) as well as the establishment of a safe and Healthy Vegetable Production Centre at SIREC, Kpong

Setting up of Boards and Committees

The following Boards and Committees of the College have been set up and are fully operational

College Advisory Board

College Academic Board

College Research Board

College Academic Quality Assurance Committee

College Finance and Development Committee

College Admissions and Examinations Committee

College Appointments and Promotions Committee

College Appointments and Promotions Committee for Junior and Senior Staff

College Scholarships and Prizes Committee

Development of the College Strategic Plan

The College Research Board, under the Chairmanship of Prof. Yaa Ntiamoah-Baidu has been assigned the responsibility to develop a strategic framework from which a ten-year strategic plan for the College will be developed.

Provost’s Visit to the Units of the College

The Provost visited all the Constituent Units of the College to share his vision with them and also took the opportunity of learning at first hand the problems and expectations of the constituent units.

CBAS Lecture Series

The College instituted a CBAS Lecture Series which would require all Schools and Institutes in the College to organise one lecture per academic year. This will be published at the end of the academic year.

Development of a Programme in Microbiology

As part of the rationalization exercise, the College has set up a Committee to submit proposals for the establishment of a Microbiology programme.

Partnerships with other Universities

The Provost and two other Deans visited Harvard University and the University of Rochester to establish partnerships with these Universities.

FEBRUARY 2015

College Research Forum

The College shall organise a yearly Research Forum which would run as an annual colloquium and will showcase research and presentations of Faculty members.

Training Workshop for Administrative Staff

A four-day training programme (March 2-5, 2015) for Finance and Research Development Officers was organised by ORID under the Building Stronger Universities (BSU) phase II project funded by DANIDA. The objective is to enhance capacity of staff towards the achievement of the objectives of the University. The College has also held discussions with JICA to support the training of administrative staff.

External Review Panel for WACCI

WACCI commissioned an External Review Panel to evaluate the Centre’s performance during the AGRA funded phase and to further advise the Centre on a comprehensive strategy for a smooth transition and transformation into a sustainable Centre of Excellence.

MARCH 2015

Inauguration of College Advisory Board

The inauguration and maiden meeting of the College Advisory Board took place on March 16, 2015. The Board holds regular meetings once a month apart from emergency and special meetings.

Development of College Strategic Plan

The College Research Board met with Deans, Directors and Heads of Departments/Centres on 31st March, 2015 to consider the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) enshrined in the University of Ghana Strategic Plan document. Deans, Directors and Heads of Departments/Centres were requested to peruse the strategic priority areas with staff and set themselves targets for the realization of the KPIs and submit inputs developed by units to the College Secretary. These inputs would be collated as part of efforts to develop the College Strategic Plan document.

Development of a Microbiology Programme

The Committee set up to develop the Microbiology programme submitted its report to the Provost. Proposals have been developed for undergraduate, MPhil and PhD programmes. It is hoped that upon approval, the programme would be mounted in the 2016-2017 academic year.

Media Team for the CBAS

Deans and Directors have been requested to submit names and addresses of academic staff to the Provost to constitute the team as part of its efforts to create visibility for the College on the national scene.

Collaboration with other Universities

Two universities expressed the desire to collaborate with the College. They are the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and the University of Rochester.

Technical University of Denmark

Apart from research and graduate training, the DTU is interested in technology transfer and business. Thus they want to collaborate with Departments of Material Science and Engineering and Physics in the development of solar cells using local materials. Collaboration will also include the UGBS in marketing these products on a larger scale after production.

University of Rochester

Following the Provost’s visit to the University of Rochester in December, 2014, a delegation from the University of Rochester paid a working visit to the College in March, 2015 to secure collaboration in research and training of PhD students. Regarding PhD training, faculty from the two Universities will co-supervise the students. University of Ghana PhD students could also spend 10 months at Rochester University as part of their experiential learning. Units that have expressed interest in the collaboration are:

Biotechnology/Molecular Biology

Institute of Applied Science and Technology

Biomedical Engineering

Computer Engineering

Marine Science and Fisheries

Animal Science

Animal Biology and Conservation Science

Biochemistry

Physics

Computer Science

Archaeology

APRIL 2015

CBAS Lecture Series

The maiden edition College of Basic and Applied Sciences Lecture Series on the topic “Ghana’s Economic Development Challenge: The Energy Factor” was held on Thursday April 30, 2015 at the Great Hall. The speaker was Prof. Thomas Mba Akabzaa, formally of the Department of Earth Science and the Chief Director of the Ministry of Petroleum.

MAY 2015

Development of College Strategic Plan

Units of the College submitted inputs on targets set for the realization of the University’s Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to the College Research Board for consideration.

Development of a Microbiology Programme

The Proposal for the introduction of a Microbiology programme at the College has been submitted to the College Academic Quality Assurance Committee for consideration.

Institutional Collaboration

Universities in Japan

The Provost travelled to Japan to discuss and sign partnership and collaboration agreements with Utsunomiya University, Gifu University, Kyoto University and Kochi University from 23rd May, 2015 to 12th June, 2015.

CBAS Sports

The College emerged champions and second runner-up in the Volley ball and table-tennis respectively in the University inter-departmental games which took place on the 8th May 2015 at the Athletics oval. The CBAS volleyball team was awarded a trophy. The College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS) emerged winners in almost all the track events in athletics. The Sports Directorate of the University adjudged the College team the “Most organized team” and therefore promised CBAS a set of jerseys.

JUNE 2015

Workshop on Retirement

The College organised a workshop on Planning for Retirement from June 17-18, 2015 at the Basement of the Great Hall for employees proceeding on retirement between 2015 and 2017 to educate employees on the need to make adequate preparations towards their retirement. This is in line with the College’s concern of ensuring the welfare of its staff and hence, motivating them for effective performance.The programme which will be organised annually was sponsored by Databank Ghana Limited as part of their corporate social responsibility.

JULY 2015

July 2015 Congregation

Graduate and undergraduate students from the underlisted Schools graduated from the College:

School of Agriculture

School of Biological Sciences

School of Engineering Sciences

School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and

School of Veterinary Medicine

AUGUST, 2015

Institutional Collaboration

Universities in Japan

Following the visit of the Provost to Japan, Utsunomiya University has signed a partnership agreement with the CBAS. The Academic Board of Kochi University has also agreed to sign an agreement with the CBAS. The formal MOU with Kochi University is yet to be concluded.

Teaching of French

With the support of the French Embassy a document on the teaching of French in the College was developed by Dr. Sewornam Chachu, Dr Robert Yennah (Department of French) and Dr. H. Azoda Koffi, (Department of Physics)

This project aims at incorporating the teaching of the French language in the curriculum of the College so that any student who graduates from the College develops some basic science oriented French skills for academic and research purposes.

CBAS Endowment Fund

The College established a CBAS Endowment Fund to support postgraduate training in the College. Part of IGF and percentage of overhead charges, and other donations from external agencies would be set aside to support the Fund. When fully implemented the Fund would be managed by an external body. The College hopes to launch the CBAS Endowment fund soon.

Sub Committees of the College Advisory Board

The following sub committees were set up:

Committee on Institutional Collaboration

Committee on Image Enhancement and Marketing

Committe on Income Generation and Commercial Activities

Committe on Staff and Students Welfare and Development

SEPTEMBER 2015

Institutional Collaboration

Partnership agreements have been signed with Gifu University and Kochi University.

University of Rochester

As a follow up to the visit by a delegation from the University of Rochester, seven (7) Senior Members of the College travelled to the University of Rochester from September 13 to 19, 2015.

Capacity Building for Administrative Staff

To ensure that administrative staff give off their best in order to achieve the twin goals of efficiency and effectiveness, the College Organised a training workshop on writing skills for selected administrative staff from the units. Participants were grouped into two. The first cohort had their training on August 26 and 27, 2015 whilst the second group attended the workshop on September 3 and 4, 2015. The College is very grateful to the UG-Carnegie Project for sponsoring the workshop and the Carnegie Writing Centre for organising the workshop for the College.

Donation of Books by the Marie Curie Library of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Italy to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering

The Marie Curies Library of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) has donated 20 different books to the Department of Materials Science and Engineering to augment the stock of collections of the Department at the library of the School of Engineering Sciences. The donation was made on behalf of the ICTP by Mrs. Ylenia Pinelli of the Embassy of Italy.

Donation of Tractor and Vehicle

The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) donated a 4 x 4 Toyota Prado to the Forest and Horticultural Crops Research Centre (FOHCREC). WACCI and FOHCREC are partners in the Envirodome Vegetable Laboratory Innovation trials.

The College also donated a tractor it received from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to the Centre.

Audit of staff at the Units of CBAS

The College conducted an audit of administrative staff to identify the number of staff at each unit to facilitate transfers and filling of vacancies.

The objective is to ensure effective use of manpower to strengthen the administrative capacity for the achievement of the twin goals of efficiency and effectiveness.

Rehabilitation of the Constantine Leventis Computer Laboratory

The Constantine Leventis Computer Laboratory at the School of Agriculture has been rehabilitated. The room has been painted and new tiles fixed. Items procured for the laboratory include:

20 new computers with UPS

2 new air conditioners

27 chairs and 27 tables

A desk and chair for the Senior Programming Assistant

CBAS Lecture Series

The second College of Basic and Applied Sciences Lecture Series was held on Wednesday September 30, 2015 at the Auditorium for the Centre for African Wetlands. The speaker was Dr. Gilbert John Anim-Kwapong, Executive Director of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana. The title of the lecture was “The cocoa industry in Ghana: role of the youth”

Promoting Dissemination of Faculty Research Findings

A meeting of Deans and Directors with the Provost tentatively agreed to a proposal for the establishment of two initiatives at the College;

A journal to be known as The International Journal of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana

An annual Science and Development Platform to be known as The CBAS Science and Development Platform

As part of its contribution to the University’s vision of becoming a world-class research intensive University, the College intends to assist its faculty to make their research findings accessible to the wider public, hence, the two initiatives.

OCTOBER 2015

The General Electric (GE) Scholarship for Level 100 Students

In collaboration with the Student Financial Aid Office, applications have been invited from Level 100 needy but brilliant students from the Departments of Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Earth Science and Material Science and Engineering in respect of The General Electric (GE) Scholarship for Level 100 students in the Applied Sciences.

Risk Assessment by the Internal audit Directorate

The Internal Audit Directorate is conducting risk assessment exercises at the College.

The first exercise is on the topic A Lecturer utilization Audit for full-time Lecturers and its value for money implications for the CBAS. The aim of this audit is to find out whether Lecturers are engaged fully for the purpose for which they are employed.

The second audit is on the topic Management Information Systems. The audit seeks to determine whether there are comprehensive management information systems at the College for accuracy and timely delivery of information.

The risk assessment exercises are currently ongoing.

NOVEMBER 2015

Scholarships and Prizes Committee

The College is in the process of working towards the harmonisation of all scholarship schemes in the various Schools. Currently the College Scholarships and Prizes Committee manages only the A. G. Leventis and Finatrade Scholarships for students of the School of Agriculture.

New academic prizes approved for the 2015-2016 academic year are:

General Electric Company

Best Level 200 Female Student in Computer Science

Best Graduating Student in MSc. Petroleum Geoscience

Best Graduating Student in BSc. Earth Science

Best Graduating Female Student in BSc. Earth Science

Best Graduating MPhil Student in Geology

Best Graduating Project in Computer Science

Best Level 400 Student in Earth Science with Specialization in Engineering Geology

Frederick Attakumah Award for the Best Graduating Project in Computer Engineering

Prof. R. J. Bani

Best Graduating Student in Agricultural Engineering

Establishment of Committees

Inter-School Committee on Examination Malpractices

Committee to Mentor and Supervise Affiliated Institutions

The CBAS Science and Development Platform

Following announcements for the CBAS Science and Development Platform (SDP), the Secretariat for the College Research Board had started receiving abstracts for the SDP to enable review of the abstracts to commence.

November Congregation

Students offering Diploma in Agriculture and Statistics who could not graduate in July due to the fact that their programme is organised on sandwich basis during the long vacation graduated.

Collaboration with International Bodies

Inesfly Africa Limited

As part of activities to strengthen the bond and facilitate the signing of a comprehensive memorandum of understanding between the College and Inesfly Africa Limited, the provost attended the official opening of inesfly’s factory and the launch of a new ground-breaking technology and their range of products highly effective against vectors like mosquitoes, cockroaches, ants and housefly.

This ceremony preceeds the signing of the MOU between the two institutions scheduled to take place at a later date.

CBAS Lecture Series

The third College of Basic and Applied Sciences lecture series on the topic: “Science, Technology and Innovation Policy: Advice and Benchmarking to Shape the Future of a Nation”was held at the Great Hall of the University of Ghana. The lecture was delivered by Professor Horward Alper Professor of Chemistry, University of Ottawa and a Humboldt Foundation/David Asserhofer.